A corpora



, G. C. FULLER.

GASLIGHTING PISTOL.

APPLICATKON FILED JULY H. 1919. RENEWED OCT. 4, 1920.

1,358,722. Patented Nov. 16, 1920,

I venior: Wilnesses. MU

M I Aff PATENT OFFICE.

UNETED STATES GAIUS C. FULLER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE PISTOLITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, 01-110, A CORPORA- GASLIGHTING-PISTCL.

Application filed July 11, 1919, Serial No. 310,288. Renewed October 4, 1920.

To all whom may concern Be it known that I, GAIUS C. HULLnR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gaslighting-Pistols, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gas lighters and to toy firearms and its object is to conveniently ignite the gas in stoves or lamps and also to serve as a realistic imitation of a pistol.

lvly invention consists in the combinat on of parts and in the details of constructlon and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In. the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a device embodying my invention on a plane corresponding to line l-l oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a muzzle-end elevation or the same;

. Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the same looking upward, the section being on planes corresponding to broken line 3-8 oi Fig. 1;

liig. l is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of a modr fied trig er and part oi? the spring used tierewith; and

6 is a crosssection on a plane corresponding to line 66 of Fig. 5. I

As I prefer to construct my invent on there a sheet metal casing comprising right and left sections 1 and 2, each pressed into hollow shape with one side open and with outwardly turned flange 3 around its rim; sections 1. and 2 having their flanges 3 brought together and fastened by means oi tongues t on the left section 2 turned down over the flange 3 oi right section 1. This casing is so shaped that it has handle or grip part 5 with stock part 6 and barrel part 7 extending therefrom so that it is a fairly good representation of the modern magazine pistol. As shown top 8 of this casing is straight and has one of the tongues 4 next to the muzzle end and another tongue inear the butt end, which serve as sights. To other such tongues i are provided, one being under the middle of stock part 6 and the other at the bottom of grip 5.

From its junction with grip 5 for about hall way toward the muzzle end, stock part Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

Serial No. 414,618.

6 has its flanges omitted and slot 9 is provided down through which projects trigger 10 comprising finger piece 11' and a substantially horizontal part 12 extending rearwardly from finger piece 11 and upper shank 13, the rear end of which joins the rear end of part 12 by bend 14E so that the trigger is of general U-shape. Guide 15 is llat piece of metal with end parts 16 bent up and riveted to the inside of left casing section 2 along over slot 9, with bent-up parts 16 projecting out inside the casing and having openings in which shank 13 slides. Shank 18 is about twice as long as part 10 and when the trigger is farthest forward in slot 9 shank l3 occupies the muzzle end of the interior of stock part 6. Guide 15 is in clined slightly downwardly toward the muzzle end and shank 13 has about this same downward inclination when the other part 12 is horizontal. Notch 17 in the lower side of shank 13 has its rearwardly facing side about at right angles to the length of the shank and its other side inclining at a low angle out to the surface of the shank. The proportion of the parts is such that when linger piece 11 engages the muzzle end of slot 9, this notch will be stopped just forwardly of the rear side of front bent-up end partlG of guide 15. Occupying the interior oi grip part 5 is aU-shaped fiat spring 18 with rear member 19 bearing against the inside of the rear of grip part 5 and front member 20 extending up and bearing against the rear side of bend 14 of trigger 0. Spring 18 is kept from lateral displacement by being of such width that its lateral edges will bear against the interior side walls of grip part 5; and the spring bends around bosses 21 pressed in from the sides of part 5 near the bottom thereof, which, together with a slight narrowing of part 22 or grip 5 below bosses E21, prevents material upward or downward or'backward or forward displacement of spring Spring 18 will normally keep trigger 10 pressed for ward with finger piece 11 against the front end of slot 9.

Bearing up against the flat under side of top 8 near the muzzle end thereof is carrier 23 which is a flat piece of metal with its rear end part 242 bent down and having an opening. Part 2% lies behind the' front part 16 of guide 15 with shank 13 of the trigger extending through it. About midway of the length of the main part of carrier 23 a tongue 25 is pressed down and receives above it against the underside of carrier 23, rasp 26, the front end of which is held up against carrier 23 by screw 27 screwed up into the carrier very close to the front end thereof. Rasp 26 preferably has recesses 28 (Fig. 3) in its ends in which tongue 25 and screw 27 engage; thereby preventing lateral displacement of rasp 26 as well as downward or forward or backward displacement.

At the front end of stock part 6 the flanges 3 of said stock part are developed into channels 29 which face eachother and extend substantially vertically and make up a passageway or circular cross-section with the exception that the metal is so pressed out that these parts are separated leaving rearwardl and forwardly opening slots 30 and 31. ome distance to the rear of this passage constituted by channels 29 is screw in. the left side of the casing with wire spring 33 wound around it and having lower extension 3 1 against the bottom of stock part 6 of the casing and upper member extending forward through slots 30 and 31 and across the passage. Guided in the passage or channels 29 is the elongated cylindrical piece of material 36 which is con stantly pressed up against rasp 26 by member 35' of spring 33. This pressure of material 36 holds rasp 26 and its carrier 23 up against the' top of the casing; and carrier 23 is guided laterally by being wide enough to have its edges bearing against the sides of this part of the casing. The left section 2 has at the lower end of rear slot 30, just to the rear of channels 29, recess 37 into which arm 35 of spring 33 may be pressed sidewise when pulled down from across the passage formed by channels 29 as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Helical spring 38 iscoiled around shank 13 of the trigger between downturned part 2 1 of slide 23 and rear bent-up part 16 of guide 15, so as to normally keep carrier 23 pressed to its forwardmostposition with its part 24 engaging the front part 16' of guide 15. The opening in part 24: of carrier 23 is large enough so that there may be some relative movement of shank 13 and carrier 23 upward-and downward. About midway of the length of guide 15 top 8 of the casing has downwardly extending cam part 39.

The pistol is manipulated in the same way as the regular magazine pistol; the hand grasping grip 5 and one or more of the fingers pulling back on trigger 10 by engagement with finger piece 11. This trigger is thus pulled back into the position indicated by the dotted lines in the rear part of Fig. 1. In doing this the'entire trigger acts as a downwardly swinging lever, fulcruming on rear part 16 of guide 15; so that the front part of the shank is pulled down and engages the rearwardly facing side of its notch 17 with the front side of carrier part 21 below the opening therein. Thus carrier 23 is pulled back against cam part 39 and although its front part, with rasp 26 engaged by sparking element or piece 36, is thus held up the rear part moves down wardly as permitted by the size of the opening in part 24. This downward tilting of carrier 23 results in the disengagement of its part 24k from the side of notch 17. This backward pulling having compressed spring 38 this spring will now, upon this release. very suddenly impel carrier 23 forwardly. dragging the rasp across the upper end of the piece of material 36. This piece 36 is of some pyrophoric substance preferably a pyrophoric iron alloy, which produces an ample spark due to friction with the rasp 26 during this quick forward motion. It is preferable that this piece 36 should be of relatively small diameter, thus concentrating the friction and producing a hot spark or series of sparks very closely resembling the flash of a regular pistol at the muzzle.

This pistol is double-acting or automatic in that pulling the trigger back as far as it will go automatically results in the quick forward movement of the carrier. or what corresponds to the liring of a regular pistol.

The trigger as shown in Figs. 1 to 1 is made of heavy metal wire which may have the finger piece 11 pressed into suitable shape as shown. In Figs. 5 and 6 the modified trigger 10 has its linger piece 11, part 12 and shank 13 joining part 12 by bend 1 1 made of sheet metal of substantially semi-circular cross-section as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Where notch 17 is made in the lower side of shank 13 the sheet metal is made a little wider as indicated by the protuberance 17"; thus giving the trigger ampl strength where it would otherwise be weakened by notch 17. The opening in part 241 of carrier 23, to be used with this trigger would be correspondingly enlarged to admit this enlargement of the trigger at this point and still permit the relative up and down movement of the parts. Also the openings in parts 16 of guide 15 would be properly shaped to accommodate upper shank 13, which is of substantially semi-circular crosssection instead of complete circular crosssection as in the other example. lVhen the trigger is made in this way the backwardly facing hollow shape of its bend 1 1 receives and prevents lateral displacement of forward member 20, of spring 18 that is modified in that it is made of round wire instead of fiat material as spring 18 of the other example. Such a spring is less expensive than the wide fiat spring.

lVhen the piece of material 36 has been worn to a very short length spring arm 35 is pulled down and held in the recess or notch 36, permitting the worn piece 36 to drop out of the channels 29, whereupon a new piece may be inserted. Then spring arm 35 is di engaged and holds this new piece in position as the other piece was held.

After a time the rasp becomes dull. These rasps are preferably made with teeth on both sides. removed and replaced, with its other or unworn side downward. Tf made with teeth on one side only, or when both sides are worn out, a new file or rasp is substituted. The removal of rasp 26 is accomplished by removing screw 27, permitting rasp 26 to disengage from tongue same rasp turned over, or a new rasp has its end inserted above this tongue, and when screw 27 is replaced the new rasp is ready for operation as described. To permit ready access to screw 27, the bottom of muzzle part 7 of the casing is left with wide slot 40 through which a screw driver may readily reach screw 2?, and which also facilitates the handling of rasp 26 when being with drawn or inserted. It is desirable that this bottom of the muzzle part 7 of the casing should be very close to the lower surface of rasp 26 and that channels 29 should continue up through this bottom very close to said surface; thereby affording a guide for the piece of material 36, even though the piece has become worn very short. This effects economy in the material. To have this closeness and permit the sliding of screw 27 along with the other parts, slot ll) is carried back as far as screw 27 must go. lit thereby affords additional facility for insertion and removal of rasp 26; and it also affords a wider outlet for the spark or flash, as is desirable in practice.

The spark or flash, being of ample volume and comparatively great brilliancy and accompanied by smoke and by a sharp and loud click of the mechanism, affords a very realistic imitation of the discharge of a regular pistol. This volume and brilliancy are due largely to the very quick and forceful operation of the device automatically. On account of the volume and hotness of the spark or flash, the piston is a very effective means of igniting gas. It is, therefore, a very attractive toy and also a very effective utensil.

Notwithstanding its automatic and effective operation, it is of comparatively simple construction. It will be noted that spring 33 that feeds material 36 to rasp 26 or abradant, also functions to reset or cock the pistol automatically when trigger 10 has been permitted to ride forward under the ac tion of main spring 18. Trigger 10 is maintained in its position in an approximately vertical plane by the engagement of parts 11 and 12- with the sides of slot 9; and no special guiding means is needed for this or any When so made the rasp is' whereupon the of the other operative parts, except simple guide 15. It will be understood that a guide to function as guide 15 may be formed integral with casing section 2 by pressing tongues in from openings in the casing side in the places of parts 16 of guide 15. This construction may be utilized where it is not objectionable to have the openings in the casing side.

While certain constructional details are deemed preferable in connection with my invention, and T have shown and described these rather specifically in elucidating the construction and use of my invention, as is required, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to such precise showing and description, but having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a casing comprising a handle or grip part, a stock part and a muzzle part, in simulation of aiire-arm, an abradant element and a sparking element in operative contact with each other in said muzzle part, a carrier for one of said contacting elements, sliding lengthwise of said muzzle part into'said stock part, a trigger sliding lengthwise in said stock part, said trigger having an integrally formed finger piece also sliding lengthwise of said stock part and releasably engaging with said carrier to move said carrier into said stock part from said muzzle part and projecting from said stock part adiacent to said handle or grip part for can ng said trigger to move said carrier as aforesaid, a fixed projection in said stock part, with which said carrier engages during movement of said carrier by said trigger, to release said carrier from said trigger, yieldable means in said stock part to move said carrier from said stock part into said muzzle when said carrier is released, and yieldable means in said handle or grip part to return said trigger into engagement with said carrier.

2. Tn a device of the character described, a casing comprising a handle or grip part, a stock part and a muzzle part, in simulation of a fire-arm, an abradant element and a sparking element in operative contact with each other in said muzzle part, a carrier for one of said contacting elements sliding lengthwise to the top of said muzzle part into the top of said stock part, a trigger sliding lengthwise in said stock part and having an up-and-down tilting movement therein, and comprising a finger piece proiecting down out of said stock part adjacent to said handle or grip part. whereby pulling said finger piece toward said handle or grip part tilts said trigger downwardly, said trigger having engaging means to engage with said carrier when said trigger is tilted downwardly, yieldable means in said stock part pressing up on the other one of; said contacting elements and thereby holding said carrier up for engagement of said trigger-engaging means, whereby said trigger moves said carrier into said stock part, and a fixed projection in the top of said stock part, engaged by. the upper part ofsaid carrier during movement thereof by said trigger, whereby said carrier is moved down and released from engagement with said triggerengaging means, and yieldable means in said stock part returning said carrier from said stocls part into said muzzle part when said carrier is released.

3. In a device of'thecharacter described, a casing comprising a handle orgrip part, a stock part and a muzzle part, in simulation of a firearm, an abradant element and a sparking element inoperative contact with each other in said muzzle part, a carrier for one of said contacting elements sliding lengthwise of the top of said muzzle part into the top ofsaidstoclrpart, atrigger slid ing lengthwise in said stock: part and having an up-and-vdown tiltingmovement therein, and comprising a finger: piece projecting down out 01" said stoclspartadjacent' to said handle-or grip part, whereby pullin said finger piece towardsaid handle or grip part tilts said trigger downwardly, said trigger having engaging means to engage with said carrier when said trigger is tilted downwardly, yieldable means in said stock part pressing up on the other one of said contacting elements and thereby holding said carrier: up for engagement of said triggerengaging means, whereby said trigger moves saidcarrier into said stock part; and a fixed projection in the top of said stock part, engaged by. the upper part of said carrier during movement thereof by said trigger, whereby said carrier is moved down and released from. engagement with said triggerengaging means, yieldable means in said stock: part returning said carrier from said stock. partinto said muzzle part when said carrier is released, and yieldable means in saidhandle or grip part, returning said triggertoward said muzzle part whereby said trigger-engaging means is returned into engagement with said'carrier.

GAIUS C. FULLER.

Witnesses:

James N. RAMsEY, CLARENCE Pnnnnw. 

